


DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

ANNAPOLIS 



SUMMARY OF SCHOOL LEGISLATION 

SESSION OF 1910 



I. The State School Tax. 

Tlie State tax rate for schools lias been fixed at 
16 1-8 cents on each $100 of assessed property. It is 
conservative!}^ estimated that this, with the tax on 
incorporated institutions and Baltimore City stock, 
will produce $1,500,000, with a normal increase in 
taxable basis. Out of this is to be paid the usual 
appropriation for text-books; the cost of maintaining 
the Normal schools ; the expenses of the State Depart- 
ment; $25,000 for retired teachers; $34,069.36 to the 
Free School Fund; and the State aid to ^' Approved 
High Schools." The last three items named have not 
previously been paid out of the State school tax, but 
since the tax will produce about $150,000 more than 
the schools received last year, the quarterly distri- 
butions should remain about the same this year as 
last. With a re-assessment throughout the State, there 
will be a very substantial increase next year. 

II. Grade Supekvisoes. 

Each County School Board may, in its discretion, 
appoint a grade supervisor. If the number of teachers 
in a county exceeds one hundred and fifty, an addi- 



.aS^ 



^ 



^^^',i\^'% 



tional supervisor may be appointed; and one addi- 
tional supervisor for every additional one hundred 
teachers. These supervisors must have had at least 
five years ^ experience as teachers of the elementary 
grades, and such other qualifications as the State 
Board of Education may prescribe. 

III. High Schools. 
The Board of School Commissioners of any county 
may establish high schools subject to the approval 
of the State Board of Education. High schools re- 
ceiving State aid shall be divided into two groups to 
be known as First Group and Second Group Schools — 
the group to be determined b}^ the number of pupils 
enrolled, teachers employed, and years of instruction 
given. 

High schools of the First Group shall fulfill the fol- 
lowing minimum requirements: (a) an enrollment of 
not less than eighty pupils; (b) employ not less than 
four teachers for the regular high school work, ex- 
clusive of instructors of special subjects named under 
(e) ; (c) four years' course of instruction of not less 
than thirty-six weeks in each year, same to conform 
to the standard required by the State Board of Edu- 
cation; (d) the annual salary of the principal to be 
not less than $1,200, and the salary of each assistant 
teacher regularly employed to be not less than $500 
per annum; (e) provision to be made for Manual 
Training and Domestic Science courses, and also a 
Commercial or an Agricultural course, as may be de- 
termined by the Board of County School Commis- 
sioners. 

High schools of the Second Group shall fulfill the 
following minimum requirements: (a) an enrollment 
of not less than thirty-five pupils; (b) employ not 
less than two teachers for the regular high-school 



work, exclusively of instructors of special subjects 
named under (e) ; (c) a three years' course of instruc- 
tion of not less tlian tliirty-six weeks in each year, 
same to conform to the standard required by the State 
Board of Education; (d) the annual salary of the prin- 
cipal to be not less than $1,000, and that of each 
assistant to be not less than $500; (e) provision to 
be made for a Manual Training, or an Agricultural, 
or a Commercial course, as may be determined b}" 
the Board of County School Commissioners. The 
course of instruction in schools of the Second Group 
may be extended to four years by the Board of County 
School Commissioners, by the employment of such 
additional teacher or teachers as may be required by 
the State Board of Education, provided that the salary 
of such additional teacher or teachers shall be paid 
wholly by the said Board of County School Commis- 
sioners; and in those schools of the Second Group, 
where the course of instruction has been so extended 
to a four-year course, the graduates shall receive the 
same recognition as graduates of schools of the First 
Group. No promotions of high-school pupils from 
one grade to another, or graduation, shall be made 
without the approval of the principal and the County 
Superintendent. 

State aid is based on the cost of instruction and 
for First Group schools is as follows: The sum of 
$600 on account of the principal, and the sum of $300 
on account of each of the first three assistants em- 
ployed for regular high-school work; the sum of $400 
on account of each of two special teachers, who shall 
spend not less than two-fifths of their time in the 
school receiving said amounts; and the sum of $100 
on account of each additional regular grade teacher, 
provided the total amount does not exceed the sum 
of $2,500. 



For Second Group schools: The sum of $600 on 
account of the principal; the sum of $400 on account 
of one assistant teacher employed for regular grade 
V70rk ; and the sum of $400 on account of the instructor 
of special subjects to be designated by the Countj^ 
School Board; provided, that if an instructor in 
Manual Training or Agricultural work be required to 
divide his or her time among not more than four 
schools of this group, $150 shall be allowed on account 
of each of such schools; provided, also, that the 
amount to be received by each of the four high schools 
of Baltimore City shall be equal to the maximum 
amount received on account of any high school in the 
counties of the State ; provided further, that the Board 
of County School Commissioners of each county shall 
submit annually to the County Commissioners of their 
respective counties, at least thirty days prior to the 
date for making the usual county levy for school pur- 
poses, a list of all high schools of the county, includ- 
ing those not entitled to State aid, as well as those 
classified in this Article, and an itemized statement 
of the estimated cost of maintaining same, and the 
said Boards of County Commissioners shall make a 
separate levy for high schools, publishing same once 
a week for three successive weeks prior to date of 
making said levy, in one or more county papers. 

When instruction below that of the high-school 
grades is given in the same building, or on the same 
premises, such grade work may also be under the 
direct control of the Board of County School Commis- 
sioners, and the principal of the high school shall also 
be the principal of the elementary department. 

By an amendment to the bill, high schools now on 
the ' ' Approved List ' ' and complying with all require- 



ments except that of enrollment, cannot be excluded 
from the Second Group within two years. 

All special appropriations for (white) Manual 
Training Departments and also approx3riations to 
maintain a Commercial Course in certain high schools 
have been repealed, and the high school appropriation 
is made in lieu thereof. 

Any high school of either First or Second Group 
receiving State aid shall forfeit any special State ap- 
propriations heretofore made for such schools — except 
academic appropriations made prior to 1872. 

TV. Maryland State Noemal School. 

A special appropriation of $5,500 was made from 
the funds of the General Treasury to aid in defray- 
ing the extra expenses recently incurred in building 
a new Model School, the installation of a new heat- 
ing plant, and general repairs to the building. A 
Commission consisting of the Governor, Comptroller, 
Treasurer, State Superintendent of Schools, the Prin- 
cipal of the Maryland State Normal School, Senators 
Linthicum and Bidclison, and Delegates Benson and 
Digges, was provided by law to consider the subject 
of a new site, plans for buildings, provisions for 
dormitories, etc., and report to the General Assembly 
two years hence. 

While the Legislature declined to authorize a bond 
issue of $400,000 as provided in the bill submitted by 
Senator Linthicum, it seems probable that public 
sentiment will soon crystalize in favor of the plan 
and the next Legislature will provide the necessary 
funds to carry out the suggestions which the Com- 
mission may make. 

Should the Johns Hopkins University move to 
Homewood and establish a Teachers' College as an 



adjunct of the University and tlie new Normal School 
be located nearby, there could be furnished an ideal 
and adequate plan for training teachers. Nothing- 
would invigorate our school system more than the con- 
summation of these plans. We should all work toward 
such an end. 

V. CoLOEED Industrial Schools. 

The appropriation of fifteen hundred dollars for 
one colored industrial school will be divided about 
equally between the maintenance of one colored school, 
centrally located in the county, where the industrial 
arts are to be taught and demonstrated, and the em- 
ployment of a capable supervisor for the colored 
schools, who shall visit such schools frequently under 
the direction of the County Superintendent and cause 
instruction of an industrial character to be given in 
all colored schools. In any county where there are 
fewer than ten colored schools, only one-half of the 
appropriation is payable, and that part for the main- 
tenance of one industrial school. 

If the County School Board will employ a graduate 
of some such well-known industrial school as Tuske- 
gee or Hampton, this plan will go far toward solving 
the problem of negro education. A capable person 
can also be of great assistance to the county school 
officials in providing teachers for the colored schools 
and training them for the work they are to do. 

VI. State Coloeed Normal School. 

The General Assembly sanctioned the sale made by 
the State Board of Education of the Baltimore Colored 
Normal Building located at the corner of Saratoga 
and Courtland streets, Baltimore. A tract of land 
near Bowie, Prince George's County, has been pur- 



chased as a site for the new school plant, and it is 
the purpose of the State Board of Education to erect 
and complete, before October 1st next, the necessary 
buildings for the school. At a small cost pupils will 
be trained along the line of mechanical arts and agri- 
culture for the work of teaching. 

VII. Classification of Certificates. 

On or before the first day of October of each year, 
the County Superintendent shall submit to the County 
School Board a list of all teachers employed, together 
with a classification of their certificates. In deter- 
mining the class of certificates, the following points 
are to be considered: (a) scholarship; (b) executive 
ability; (c) personality; and (d) teaching power. The 
County Superintendent may add such other require- 
ments as may be approved by the State Board of Edu- 
cation. 

VIII. Teachees' Salaries. 

The following schedule of salaries, as provided by 
the Acts of 1908 continue in force with an additional 
provision as indicated below under Section 57 A : 

That all white teachers regularly employed, hold- 
ing a first-class teachers ' certificate and having taught 
for a period of three years in any of the public schools 
of the State of Maryland, shall receive as salary not 
less than $350 per annum; and provided further, that 
if such teacher hold a first-class teachers' certificate 
and has taught in the public schools of Maryland for 
a period of five years, he or she shall receive an annual 
salary of not less than $400; and provided further, 
that if a teacher holds a first-class teachers' certifi- 
cate and has taught in the public schools of Mary- 
land for a period of eight years, he or she shall re- 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 312 089 8 



ceive as an annual salary not less than $450 ; and pro- 
vided further, that if a teacher holds a second-class 
teachers' certificate and has taught in the public 
schools of the State of Maryland for a period of eight 
years, he or she shall receive as an annual salary not 
less than $350. The Comity Commissioners of' each 
county shall levy a sufficient amount to meet the in- 
crease of salaries provided for in this Act. 

Section 57 A. The minimum salary of principal 
teachers of the white public schools of the State of 
Maryland in which the corps of teachers consist of a 
l)rincipal teacher and one or more regularly appointed 
teachers subordinate to the principal teacher shall be 
$50 in addition to the salary provided for in Section 
1221/2 E of Chapter 635 of the Acts of General As- 
sembly of 1908. 

Note. — The full text of these Acts will be included 
in a new issue of the School Laws now being pre- 
pared. 

LOCAL LEGISLATION. 

An act fixes the minimum local levy in Baltimore 
County at 28 cents for general expenses and 9 cents 
for buildings. 

In Allegany, the rate for general expenses w^as fixed 
at 30 cents and 4 cents for buildings. 

In Prince George's, a minimum of 25 cents was fixed 
for all school purposes. 

In Anne Arundel, the rate for general school pur- 
poses has been 33 cents, but an additional 5 cents for 
buildings was authorized. 

Several counties, notably Montgomery and Prince 
George's, have arranged for bond issues for the erec- 
tion of certain new school buildings. 

April 9, 1910. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 312 089^8 



